Lapping machine



March 16, 1965 HANS-FRIEDRICH BOVENSIEPEN 3,

LAPPING MACHINE Filed D ec. 3, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1

5 s2 g as J 70 :llifj a g p 92 a7 March 16, 1965 HANS-FRIEDRICH BOVENSIEPEN 3, 7

LAFPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 3, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 .70 van/0r: $154 s ims/ 04a A March 16, 1965 HANS-FRIEDRICH BOVENSIEPEN 3, 7

LAPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 3, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jnvenfor: Heap/khaki Bum v flea! f. f 7 -1-4,-

March 16, 1965 HANS-FRIEDRICH BOVENSIEPEN LAPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1962 Fig. 4

III

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 III March 1965 HANS-FRIEDRICH BOVENSIEPEN Eiled Dec. 5, 1962 LAPPING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 a 20 m H II N 1 H I;

United States Patent 'O The present invention relates to abrading machines in general, and more particularly to a control arrangement which is utilized for automatically initiating or terminating one o'rmore operations in a lapping machine,

- shortly before and/or at the tome a lapping or superfinishing operation upon one or more workpieces is completed. Still more particularly, the invention relates to a control arrangement which is especially suited for use in vertical lapping machines of the type utilized for consecutively treating identical types of workpieces by fiat lapping or by cylindrical lapping.

in accordance with conventional parctice, the extent to which the workpieces are treated in a lapping machine is determined by arresting the machine, by removing the workpieces, by removing the lapping compound from the workpieces, by determining the thickness or the finish of the workpieces, and by thereupon reinserting the workpieces into the machine if'the operator finds that the treatment must continue. Such inspection causes considerable delays and attendant reduction in the output of a lapping machine because the steps of removing, cleaning, gauging and 'reinserting of workpieces consume considerable time. Moreover, such lapping machines 'must be serviced by highly skilled workmen who are capable of determining whether or not the lapping operation is completed.

Accordingly, it is an important object of my invention to provide a control arrangement for lapping and similar abr'ading and superfinishing machines which is constructed and assembled in-such a way that the abrading operation may be regulated with utmost precision and which is capable of terminating theabrading operation at the very instant when the workpieces are treated to a desired degree oi precision finish.

Another object of the invention is to provide a control arrangement of the just outlinedcharacteristicswhich can regulate and/or terminate an abrading operation by full consideration of one, two or more factors'which play' an important role inm'odern lapping and similar abrading machines such as the thickness of the film of lapping compound, eventual deformation of relatively movable components of'the machine frame in response I to pressures which the lapping members exert upon the workpieces, progressive wear onthe lapping members,

' closed in US. Patent No. 3,035,377.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a control arrangement of the above-outlined characteristics which not only regulates the extent and/orthe duration of a lapping operation but which is also capable of initiating cleaning or rinsing or" lapping members and/ or of the workpieces before the workpieces 'are removed from the lapping machine.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a control arrangement which may be rapidly and conveniently adjusted for use in connection with lapping of differently configurated and/or dimensioned workpieces.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide a "ice control arrangement of the above outlined characteristics which is equally useful'in lapping machines-utilizing wo concentric lapping members and in machines where- 'in a one-piece lapping member cooperates with a series of annularly arranged smaller lapping members.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a control arrangement which can produce a visible or audible signal when a lapping operation is completed to warn the operator that the work must be removed from the machine.

With the above 'objectsin' view, the invention resides in the provision of an abrading machine which preferably assumes the form of a vertical lapping machine and which comprises a work supporting means, such as the lower lapping member of a lapping machine, 'abrading means (for example, the upper lapping member or members of the lapping machine) which is reciprocable toward and away fronithesupporting means in order to treat a work placed onto the supporting means when moving toward the supporting means, at least one assembly which "tuata'ble means (such as a valve, a relay, a switch or the like) which latter, upon actuation thereof, adjusts the assembly in a sense to affect in a certan way the condition of the work, and a control arrangement for adjusting the aforementioned assembly when the abrading means assumes a predetermined position in which itis located at a desired distance'trom the supporting means. This control arrangement comprises tripping means which preferably includes a probe or the like and which is reciprocable with the abrading means, a gauge which comprises actuating means for the actuatable means of the aforementioned assembly, and precision adjusting means for ment' may actuatethe actuatable'means of one of more assemblies including an-assembly for driving the abrading means, and assembly for 'feeding a suitable lapping or abrading compound to the abrading means, an assembly "for reducing'the loadnpon the abrading means and for thereby reducing'the load upon the Work, an assembly for producing one or more visible and/ or audible signals at a certain stageof the abrading operation, an assembly for moving the abrading means in a direct-ion away from 'the work, an assembly for delivering a rinsing fiuid to the abra'ding means; and/or any" other assembly=which is normally utilized in an abrading machine and which is capable of affecting the condition, treatment and/or handling of the work.

The novel'features which are considered as characteristic' of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, 'both as to its construction and itsmethod of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood fromthe following detailed description of certain specific embo'dimentswith reference to'the ac- FIG. 4 is another partly elevational and partly sectional view of the lapping machine, showing certain assemblies which are controlled by the arrangement of FIGS. 2 and 3; and

FIG. 5 is a partly elevational and partly sectional view of a modified control arrangement.

Referring now in greater detail to the illustrated embodiments, and first to FIG. 1, there is shown a vertical two-lap lapping machine which is very similar to the machine disclosed in US. Patent No. 3,035,377. This machine will be described only to the extent necessary for full understanding of my invention since all other details of its construction and of its method of operation may be learned by perusing the above patent.

The machine comprises a lower frame member or base 52 whose front portion accommodates a bearing 51 for a vertical shaft 53a, the latter having its lower end secured to a driver pulley 54. This pulley is driven by an endless belt 55 which is trained around a second pulley 54:: mounted on the output shaft 54b of a driving assembly including a motor 54c which is accommodated in the lower rear portion of the lower frame member 52. The upper rear portion of the frame member 52 carries a center support or journal 57 for an upper frame member 56 which is rockable about the axis of the output shaft 54b and whose hollow head 58 overhangs the front portion of the lower frame member. The shaft 53a extends upwardly and beyond the bearing 51 and is drivingly connected with a coaxial lapping member or wheel 53. This lapping member constitutes a Work supporting means of the lapping machine. At its upper end, the output shaft 54b of the motor 54c carries a pulley 62a which cooperates with a pulley 62 and with an endless belt 63 to drive the shaft 59 of an abrading means here shown as a single upper lapping member or wheel 2. The pulleys 62, 62a are accommodated in the upper frame member 56 and the upper end 68 of the shaft 59 is splined so that it is free to perform axial movements in the hollow hub 67 of the pulley 62. The latter is rotatable on a collar or boss 70 which is received in the head 58 and which carries an antifriction bearing 69 for the hub 67. Since the shaft 59 is axially movable in the hub 67, the upper lapping member 2 is reciprocable toward and away from the upper side of the lower lapping member 53 so that a series of workpieces 4 may be inserted between the lapping members prior to start of a lapping operation. A portion of the upper shaft 59 is rotatable in an antifriction bearing 64 which is mounted in a vertical tube or shell 65 and which is retained in this shell by a flanged ring nut 66. Since the shaft 59 is compelled to rotate with the pulley 62, the lapping members 2, 53 are driven as soon as the motor 540 is started. As shown in FIG. 1, the lower belt 55 is of the. crossed type so that the lapping members rotate in opposite directions. The upper end of the shell 65 extends into a cylindrical collar 71 which is secured to the head 58, and an intermediate portion of this shell extends through a gland 72 which is received in an aperture provided in the bottom wall of the head 58. The lower end of the shell 65 carries an external annular flange 73 for the lower end of a bellows 74 whose upper end is secured to the gland 72. The mounting of the flange 73 is such that it cannot rotate with the shaft 59, i.e., the shell 65 does not rotate with the upper lapping member 2. The shell 65 is axially movable with the shaft 59 and is provided with an external flange 75 which is located between the gland 72 and boss 71 and which constitutes a double-acting piston of a piston-and-cylinder assembly further including a cylinder 78 which is fixed to or integral with the head 58 and which surrounds the shell 65 between the gland 72 and collar 71. The cylinder 78 is connected with two supply conduits 76, '77 whose ends are respectively located above and below the piston 75 and which lead to a valve housing 79, the latter 4 accommodating a system of valves whose construction is fully disclosed in US Patent 3,035,377 It will be noted (that the collar 71 and the gland 72 seal the respective ends of the cylinder 78 so that a pressure fluid admitted through the conduit 76 will cause the shell to move downwardly as soon as the lower conduit 77 permits outflow of fluid from the lower cylinder chamber (beneath the piston and that the shell 65 may be lifted to lift the lapping member 2 when the flow of pressure fluid in the conduits 76, 77 is reversed. The valve housing 79 is connected with the pressure side of a gear pump 91 which draws fluid (e.g., oil) from a tank 90. A return line 92 conveys spent fluid from the valve housing 79 to the tank 90.

The head 58 of the upper frame member 56 comprises an instrument panel 3 which carries two actuating members 94 and 96. The member 94 actuates a valve which is accommodated in the housing 79 and which serves as a means for imparting to the piston 75 a positive or a negative force, i.e., a force which will tend to move the upper lapping member 2 in downward or upward direction. The actuating member 96 is adapted to regulate a valve which is provided in the housing 79 and which subjects the piston 75 to fluid pressure necessary to subject the workpieces 4 to an initial or partial load less than the full working load. The panel 3 further supports a manometer 97 and a gauge 98 which latter comprises a system of dials and pointers for indicating the desired or rated value of pressure to which the workpieces 4 should be subjected during a lapping operation. A trailing or make-before-break switch assembly 99 on the panel 3 includes a limit switch which is actuated by the inclined cam face 19 of a rod-shaped probe or tripping member 20. The probe 20 is adjustably fixed to the flange 73 and reciprocates with the upper lapping member 2 when this lapping member is caused to move in response to admission of fluid into the cylinder 78.

FIG. 4 shows that the lapping machine further comprises an automatic dispenser assembly for a lappin compound, and this assembly is provided with a downwardly extending feeding means here shown as a pipe or spout 110a. The outflow of lapping compound through this spout is regulated by an actuatable means here shown as a valve lililb, and it will be noted that the spout 110a discharges lapping compound onto the upper side of the lapping-member 2. The latter is provided with apertures through which the lapping compound may reach the workpieces 4 and the upper side of the lapping member 53.

As is known from the art of lapping machines, the lapping compound must be removed upon completion of each lapping operation. To this end, the machine of FIGS. 1 and 4 comprises a source 111 of rinsing fluid, a motor-driven actuatable means or pump 112 which draws rinsing fluid from this source, and a flexible conduit or hose 113 which is connected to the pressure side of it e pump 112 and which is adapted to discharge rinsing fluid onto the upper side of the lapping member 2 so that this fluid Washes away the lapping compound. Such rinsing fluid cleans the upper side of the member 2, the workpieces 4, the underside of the member 2, and the upper side of the lower lapping member 53.

The probe 20 constitutes one component part of a means for actuating or tripping the control arrangement of my invention. As explained hereinabove, this probe is adjustably fixed to the flange 73 to make sure that it reciprocates with the member 2 toward and away from the workpieces 4. Depending on the thickness or finish of the workpieces, the position of the probe 20 may be adjusted so that the latter will be capable of operating one or more actuating means of the control arrangement at a time when the lapping member 2 assumes a predetermined position at a desired distance from the lapping member 53 to make sure that the lapping operation is terminated or that another operation magnitude which affects the treatment of workpieces is started at the time the workpieces have'been treated to a desired degree of precision finish.

FIG. 2 illustrates a control arrangement which embodies one form of my invention. This control arrangement is mounted in the head 58 of the machine frame and comprises a micrometer screw 5 (best shown in FIG. 5) which serves as a means for precisely adjusting the initial position of elements in a measuring instrument 6 (hereinafter called gauge) which is movable with respect to the headSB. The screw 5 is clamped in suitable jaws 3:; provided on the instrument panel 3 and comprises an upwardly extending motion transmitting member her shown as a stud 8 whose tip bears against a spherical element 9 received in a suitable depression provided at the underside of a carriage it which is guided by an upwardly extending pin' 11, the latter reciprocable in a suitable bearing bracket 3b secured to the panel 3. The pin 11 is surrounded by a helical expansion spring 12 which biases the carriage '10 (and more particularly the element 9) into abutment with the stud 8. It will be noted that the pin 11 also serves as a means for preventing buckling of the spring 12, the latter being inserted in a recess of the carriage" and bearing against the bracket 35. The carriage 19 is reciprocable in directions parallel with the directions of movement of the upper lapping member 2.

The carriage it supports a holder 13' which is provided with a clamping jaw 14 for a cylindrical sleeve 6a of the gauge 6, and this sleeve receives a motion transmitting arbor or stall 15 whose lower end bears against the longer arm 16 of a bell crank lever 17 which is rockable about the axis of a horizontal pivot member 21 secured to a traverse 22 mounted in the head 53. The lever 17 is biased in an anticlockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 2, by a helical spring 23 so that its longer arm 16 normally abuts against a stop pin 24 which is fixed to the holder 13. The pin 24 prevents the lever 17 from transmitting excessive force to the arbor 15 such as would cause damage to or eventual destruction of delicate mechanisms which are installed in the gauge 6. The shorter arm 18 of the lever 17 is provided with a lobe which is adjacent to the cam face 19 of the probe and which is engaged by the cam face 19 when the probe descendsthrough apredetermined distance and causes the f camface toassumethe position shown in FIG. 2 by a to bring about a series of operations which will be presently described. It will be noted that'the length of the arm 16 exceeds severaltnnes the length of the'arrn 18 so that the -free end of the arm 16 travels through a distance exceeding several times'the distance covered -,by thelobe of the 'arm 18 when the lever 17 is rocked by the probe 20.

The holder 13 is provided with a window 25 which enables an operator to observe the position of the arm 16. The gauge 6 is illustrated in greater detail in FIGS.

- 3 and 4. It comprises a-pairof screws 26, 2.7 which serve as a means for respectively adjusting the initial position of two actuating means here shown as switches29, 28. The lowest position of the arbor 15 is determined by a screw 15a (FIG. 4).

FIG. 2 shows the control arrangement in a position its parts'assume betorethe upper-lapping member 2 descends into actual contact with the workpieces 4. In other words, the cam face 19 of the probe 26 is spaced from the lobe on the shorter arm 18 of the lever 17. in fact,

the cam face 19 is normally moved into actual engagement with the arm '13 only at a time whenthe' lapping operation is' nearly completed, i.e., whenthefinish' of the workpieces 4 already approximates the desired finish. When the cam face 1 reaches the phantom-line position 31, the probe'29 begins to rock the lever 17 in a' clockwise direction "antl'the' arml' starts to move away"frorn the stop pin 24 so that thc arbor 15 is permittedto descend under thebias of the'spring '46. The probe 20 and the lever 17 together constitute a tripping meansfor the gauge :6, and more"p'articula1'ly"for actuating means 2S and/or'29 of this gauge. 7

FIG; 4 illustrates the mannerin whichthe' gauge 6 controls the actuatablenreans "of oneor"more'work afiecting assemblies of the lapping machine. When the longer arm 16 abuts against the stop pin 24, the" pointer 3213f the gauge 6 is concealed'so 'that'it cannot be seen'through the window 617' (see FIG. 3) of this gauge. However, when 1 the arbor 15'is permitted remove downwardly underthe bias of the spfing' ifi', the pointer 32' moves along a' scale '6cof the gauge 6 because it is turned by a'tooth'ed segment 6d which is" ro'ckably mouht'ed-in the gauge and whose close and energizes a -relay"28a which can initiate one 'or more of the following operations:

(a) Actuate "an actuatable'means such as an appropriate valve of the assembly in the'valve' housing'79 to reduce -the' pressure revafitng'intheu per chamber 'ofthe cylinder79 so that pressureexerted by the upper lapping mem- (b) Actuate the ac'tuat'ablemeans o'r valve 1113b in the assembly-r10 to termin'ate the outflow 0f lapping 00mpound through the spout 110a;

'(c) Start'the' ac'tuat'able meansor pump 112 of the rlinsing' assembly 't'o"de1'i've'r rinsing fluid through the hose 13;

(d) Complete the circuit of one 'or' more visual alarm devices 114 of'an "alarm assembly mounted on the lower frame member 52111 from of'the lap ingrnember 53.

It will be noted that thea'rbor 15'o'f the actuating means forming part of the gauge '6 is located in the path 'of movement of the tripping means '20, 17 so as to beoperate'd by such tripping means whenthe abradihg means 2 assumes a position in-which it'is located at apr'e'determineddistancef'fromthe supporting means 53.

" the actuating'means of the gauge '6 and is arrested to therethe arbor 15 continues'to descend in responseto downward movement or the probe 20, the segment 6d continues to pivot" in an anticlockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 4, and 'opehs'thehc'tuatingmeans or switch"29 which can initiateone or more ofthe following operations:

(A) If the switch 29 is connected in the'circuit of the motor 540, this-'r'notor' constitutes a means actuatable by by arrest'the lapping members 2, 53and to terminate the treatment of workpieces 4 (in such instances, the switch 29 constitutes an arresting means for the motor 54c);

(13) The switch 29 may -energize a suitable time-lag relay'whicharrests'the' motor 54c'after elapse of a predetermined period of time;

(C)' The'switch 29 may actuate an appropriate valve assembly accommodated in the housing 79 in'order to ad mit pressure'fluid to the lower cham' er of the cylinder 78 and to move the upper lapping member 2 away from the workpieces 4 which is tantamount to termination or" the lapping operation.

The workpieces are'then'removed and anew workholder with anew setbf workpieces isplaced onto the lower lapping member 53 preparatory to a new'lap'ping operation. Pressure fluid admitted into the lower chamber of the cylinder 78 causes the lapping member 2 to move upwardly and back to its starting position and to thereby entrain the probe 20 so that the cam face 19 moves away from the shorter arm 18 and permits the spring 23 to return the longer arm 16 of the lever 17 into abutment with the stop pin 24. The arbor is then moved upwardly and causes the segment 6a to return to the position of FIG. 4 in which the switch 28 is open and the switch 29 is closed.

The control arrangement of FIG. 5 is similar to the arrangement of FIGS. 2 to 4, with the exception that the position of the gauge 106 and of the screw 5 is reversed, that the screw 5 is fixed to and moves with the probe 20, and that the gauge 106 is fixedly or adjustably mounted on the instrument panel 3 or on another part of the head 58. The means for securing the screw 5 to the probe comprises a carrier 34 whose ends are respectively provided with clamping means 33 for securing this carrier to the probe 20 and with clamping means 35 for reception of the screw 5. The carrier 34 is reciprocable in a vertical slot provided in the panel 3. The axial position of the stud 8 which forms part of the screw 5 is adjustable by means of a knob 5a, and the lower end face of this stud bears against an arbor or staflf 115 which forms part of a slightly modified precision mechanism in the gauge 106. In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the gauge 106 is mounted in the clamping means 36 of a carriage 37 which is caused to abut against a stop shoulder 39 of the panel 3 under the bias of a helical spring 38 whose upper end is secured to the head 58. The purpose of the carriage 37 is to prevent damage to delicate mechanisms in the gauge 106 such as could occur if the arbor 115 were depressed beyond a permissible extent. When this arbor reaches the lower end of its stroke, the carrier 34 abuts against an adjustable stop pin 43 which extends upwardly from the carriage 37 and which causes the carriage to move downwardly against the bias of the spring 38. Such protective measure is not necessary in the control arrangement of FIG. 2 because the arbor 15 moves outwardly from the gauge 6 when the probe 20 descends. In the arrangement of FIG. 5, the arbor 115 is caused to penetrate into the gauge 106 when the probe 20 moves in downward direction. It will be readily understood that the carrier 34 comes into actual abutment with the stop pin 43 at a time when an actuating means (corresponding to the switch 29 of FIG. 4) is opened so as to arrest the driving assembly of the lapping machine (motor 54c) and/or to move the upper lapping member 2 away from the lower lapping member in order to terminate the lapping operation. The provision of the stop pin 43 is a precautionary measure which insures that an unskilled or careless operator cannot cause damage to the gauge 106 by failing to properly adjust the probe 20 or by failing to properly adjust the position of the clamping means 33 with respect to the probe.

The operation of the control arrangement shown in FIG. 5 is analogous to that of the arrangement which is shown in FIGS. 2 to 4. The stud 8 engages with the upper end of the arbor 115 shortly before a lapping operation is completed, and the arbor thereupon causes the actuating means of the gauge 106 to initiate one or more operations including terminating the outflow of lapping compound through the spout 110b, reducing fluid pressure in the upper chamber of the cylinder 78 to reduce the load upon the workpieces, starting the pump 112 to deliver rinsing fiuid through the hose 113, completing the circuit of the alarm devices 114 arresting the motor 540 to terminate rotary movement of the lapping members, energizing a time-lag relay to arrest the motor 540 after elapse of a predetermined period of time, and/or admitting pressure fluid to the lower chamber in the cylinder 78 to bring about upward movement of the lapping member 2. The parts 20, 33, 34, 35, 5, 8 together institute the tripping means of the modified control arrangement.

The control arrangement of my invention is adjusted during lapping of one or more test workpieces. Prior to such adjustment, the control arrangement is rendered inactive by shifting the probe 20 to a position in which it cannot rock the bell crank lever 17 or by disconnecting the carrier 34 therefrom. When the lapping of test workpieces is completed, they are measured for thickness or finish in any conventional manner and the control arrangement is then adjusted by full consideration of such optimum finish of the workpieces. Adjustments may be made by turning the knob 5a of the screw 5 and by thereby adjusting the position of the carriage 10 or 37. In the control arrangement of FIGS. 2 to 4, adjustments are made in such a way that, at the time the lever 17 is about to be rocked by the cam face 19, the pointer 32 assumes a predetermined starting position and the switch 28 is closed.

Of course, the screw 5 also serves as a means for taking into consideration certain other factors, such as the wear on the lapping members 2 and 53 and/or the thickness of the film of lapping compound on the workpieces and/ or on the cooperating faces of the lapping members. Still further, the screw 5 may compensate for any misalignment of the head 58 such as may be caused by pressure at which the upper lapping member bears against the workpieces. In other words, the screw 5 may compensate for any inaccuracies in alignment of the shafts 53a, 59 in response to rising pressure between the workpieces and the upper lapping member.

It will be noted that the control arrangement of my invention is capable of taking into consideration all such factors which arise during a lapping operation, particularly the wear upon the lapping members, the thickness of the film of lapping compound, and eventual deformation of the machine frame in response to high stresses.

This control arrangement may be utilized in connection with differently configurated and/or dimensioned workpieces. 7

In FIG. 5, the cam face 19 does not transmit motion to any parts of the control arrangement because the carrier 34 transmits motion of the probe 20 directly to the adjusting screw 5. However, the cam face 19 still performs a series of important functions which are described in Patent No. 3,035,377.

In the foregoing the interior of the valve housing 79 has not been described because this valve housing is fully described in US. Patent 3,035,377. As regards the fiow of hydraulic fluid in the valve housing 79 conduits leading into the valve housing are indicated by dot-dash lines. Between these conduits there is a shut-off valve 116. If the lapping load on the workpiece is to be reduced shortly before the lapping operation is finished, the shut-off valve 116 will be opened by way of the relay 28a. Both conduits 76 and 77 are free of pressure after opening the shut-off valve 116. Only the own weight of the upper lapping member 2 and of the members moving up and down with it acts then as lapping load on the workpieces.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can,

by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a vertical lapping machine, in combination, a head; work supporting means; abrading means including a rotary lapping member mounted on and reciprocable vertically with reference to said head toward and away from said work supporting means so as to lap 21 work placed onto said work supporting means when moving toward said work supporting means; an assembly for ailecting the condition of the work which is being lapped by said lapping member, said assembly comprising actuatable means which, upon actuation thereof, adjusts said assembly to thereby affect the condition of the work; and a control arrangement for adjusting said assembly when said lapping member, while moving toward said supporting means, assumes a predetermined position at a desired distance from said work supporting means, said control arrangement comprising a tripping device reciprocable with said lapping member, said tripping device comprising a probe having a cam face and a lever pivotably mounted in said head and having a first arm adjacent to said cam face and a second arm, a gauge device comprising actuating means operatively connected with said actuatable means, said actuating means being located in the path of said second arm so that thesecond arm of said tripping device operates said actuating means and said actuating means actuates said actuatable means when said lapping member assumes said predetermined position, and micrometer screw means for precisely adjusting the position of one of said device with respect to the other device,

2. A combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein the length of said first arm is a multiple of the length of said second arm.

3. A combination as set forth in claim 1, further comprising resilient means for biasing said first arm against said actuating means and stop means fixed to said head and located in the path of movement of said first arm for limiting pivotal movements of said lever under the bias of said resilient means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,933,373 10/33 Fraser 51l65.03 X 3,035,377 5/62 Bovensie-pen et a1. 51-111 3,063,206 11/62 Meyerhoff et al 51263 X LESTER M. SWINGLE, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A VERTICAL LAPPING MACHINE, IN COMBINATION, A HEAD; WORK SUPPORTING MEANS; ABRADING MEANS INCLUDING A ROTARY LAPPING MEMBER MOUNTED ON AND RECIPROCABLE VERTICALLY WITH REFERENCE TO SAID HEAD TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID WORK SUPPORTING MEANS SO AS TO LAP A WORK PLACED ONTO SAID WORK SUPPORTING MEANS WHEN MOVING TOWARD SAID WORK SUPPORTING MEANS; AN ASSEMBLY FOR AFFECTING THE CONDITION OF THE WORK WHICH IS BEING LAPPED BY SAID LAPPING MEMBER, SAID ASSEMBLY COMPRISING ACTUATABLE MEANS WHICH, UPON ACTUATION THEREOF, ADJUSTS SAID ASSEMBLY TO TEREBY AFFECT THE CONDITION OF THE WORK; AND A CONTROL ARRANGEMENT FOR ADJUSTING SAID ASSEMBLY WHEN SAID LAPPING MEMBER, WHILE MOVING TOWARD SAID SUPPORTING MEANS, ASSUMES A PREDETERMINED POSITION AT A DESIRED DISTANCE FROM SAID WORK SUPPORTING MEANS, SAID CONTROL ARRANGEMENT COMPRISING A TRIPPING DEVICE RECIPROCABLE WITH SAID LAPPING MEMBER, SAID TRIPPING DEVICE COMPRISING A PROBE HAVING A CAM FACE AND A LEVER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED IN SAID HEAD AND HAVING A FIRST ARM ADJACENT TO SAID CAM FACE AND A SECOND ARM, A GAUGE DEVICE COMPRISING ACTUATING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID ACTUATABLE MEANS, SAID ACTUATING MEANS BEING LOCATED IN THE PATH OF SAID SECOND ARM SO THAT THE SECOND ARM OF SAID TRIPPING DEVICE OPERATES SAID ACTUATING MEANS AND SAID ACTUATING MEANS ACTUATES SAID ACTUABLE MEANS WHEN SAID LAPPING MEMBER ASSUMES SAID PREDETERMINED POSITION, AND MICROMETER SCREW MEANS FOR PRECISELY ADJUSTING THE POSITION OF ONE OF SAID DEVICE WITH RESPECT TO THE OTHER DEVICE. 